Machine for making chains.



(No Model.)

v Patented June 27, I899. H. B. MORRIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1899.)

6 Sheets-Sheet I.

INVENTOI? iw's ATTORNEYS Patented June 27,1899.

H. B. monms.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.

(Application filed Jun. 20, 1899) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES:

his ATTORNEE'YS.

m: Nuflnls PETERS co, wom-umu, wumuawu D c.

No. 627,870. Patented June 27, I899. H. B. MORRIS.

' MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1899.)

A5 Arron/VH0,

TNE Nouns Farms 00., PNUTO LITHU., WASHINGYON. n. c.

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

" T Iil INVEMTOH n73 Murray 1 0 6 Afro/films.

No. 627,870. Patented June 27, I899. H. B. MORRIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.

(Apph at on filed Jan 20 1899 (N0 Model.)

No. 627,870. Patented lune 27, I899.

H. B. MORRIS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS.-

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1899.)

UNITED STATES ATENT Erica HENRY 13. MORRIS, or MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA;

MACHINE FOR MAKING CHAINS;

SPEQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,870, dated June2'7, 1899. Application filed anuary 20, 1899. Serial ITO-702,768. (Nomodel.)

T0 to whom (it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. MORRIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Michigan City, in the county of La Porte and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Making Chains, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of sheet-metal chains of thekind in which the links are each composed of a short length of sheetmetal bent centrally to form a loop and having two eyes on its endswhich register with each other and through which extends the loopportion of another link in the chain. In the manufacture of this classof chains it has been customary heretofore to first punch out from astrip or ribbon of sheet-metal linkblanks, which are usually assembledin a well, from which they are delivered one at a time to bendingmechanism. 'In some cases, however, the link-blanks are fed directly tothe bending mechanism and are joined to the previously-formed port-ionof the chain and then bent into final form.

The object of my invention is to manufacture chains of this character byimproved mechanism which is rapid and certain in its operationandproduces an article free from flaws. My invention comprehendsimprovements in the mechanism forfeeding the stock, the mechanism forpunching the eyes and for punching the link-blanks from the stock, and

also in the mechanism for joining links as they are formed topreviously-made chain, and in mechanism for .givingfinal form to thelinks.

I have embodied all of my present improvemen ts in a power-drivenmachine which is entirely automatic, a metal ribbon or strip ofindefinite length being automatically fed to the punchers which form thelinks and'the links as fast as formed being automatically joined to thepreviously-formed chain; butl do not wish to limit my invention toapowerdriven machine or one which is automatic, as some of theoperations may be performed by hand or someof the mechanism may be hand-,opera-ted, and some parts of the mechanism may be used independently ofthe others. I have endeavored to point out the novel features of myinvention in the claims at the end of this specification.

Instead of feeding the stock by means of feed-rolls, which haveheretofore commonly been employed, I employ a feed-pawl the end of whichextends through one of the eyes out in the stock and when moved forwardgives a proper definite movement to the stock. Thus there is no dangerof the feed mechanism slipping or failing for any cause to feed thestock to the proper extent at each operation, it obviously being veryimportant that the stock should be fed to the same extent in eachoperation in order that the eyes of the link-blank may exactly registerwhen the blank is bent.

Heretofore the link-blanks have been cut or punched from the stockbefore they are bent, and separate mechanism has been employed to bendthe links. By my improvements I simultaneously sever the link-blank fromthe stock and bend it into such form that it may conveniently bethreaded into the last link of the previously-formed chain and may thenbe readily closed by a short movement of properly-constructedlink-closingdevices.

The link-closin g devices which I employ are also of an improvedconstruction, and these, with other parts of the invention, will behereinafter fully described.

The accompanying drawings show my improvements embodied in an automaticmachine orga-nized to operate in the best Way now known to me. Suchparts of the mech anism as are not necessary to a full understanding ofthe invention are omitted, and these may be of any common or ordinaryconstruction.

Figure 1 is a general front elevation of the machine, the cam-shaft andchain-feeding devices being omitted in order that the other parts of themechanism may be more clearly seen, the mechanism for holding thecompleted chain, the finger-lever, the adjusting mechanism, and thelink-closing mechanism order to better exhibit the remaining parts of: I

' the machine.

Fig. 3 is a right-hand'side elevation designed to illustrateparticularly the finger and the means for operating it. Fig. 4 is aright-hand side elevation designed to illustrate particularly themechanism for joining a new link to the previously-formed chain, themechanism for closing the link, the devices for adjusting the new linkprevious to being closed, and the mechanism for feeding thechain. Fig. 5is a right-hand side elevation illustrating particularly the mechanismfor feeding the stock and the mechanism for feeding the completed chain.Fig. 6 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the holder for thecompleted chain and the mechanism for closing the links. Fig. 7 is arear elevation of the same. Fig. Sis arear elevation of the holder withthe link-closing mechanism removed. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view,partly in section, showing particularly the blanking punch and die, thefinger, and,

the link-adjusting devices. Fig.10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, buttaken at right angles to that of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail viewshowing particularly how a new partiallyclosed link is joined to thelast link of the previously-formed chain. Fig. 12 is a similar Viewshowing the same parts, the finger, which is also a transferring device,being withdrawn from the newly-formed partially-bent link. Fig. 13 is adetail View showing how the newly-formed partially-bent link is drawnagainst the mouth of the holder and how the compressing-levers operateto close the new link. This figure also shows howthe adjusting devicesoperate to adjust the position of the link before it is closed. Fig. 14is an enlarged detail view, in front elevation, of the finger. Fig.1451s a plan view of the same. Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail plan Viewof one end of the upper link-closing lever. Fig. 16 is a rear elevationof part of the mechanism for operating the feed-pawl. Fig. 17 is anenlarged side elevation of a modified form of supporting-bridge forfeeding the stock.

The workingparts of the machine are shown as mounted upon a flathorizontal bed-plate 1. From the rear portion of the bed-plate rise twohousings 2 and 3, which are provided with parallel vertical guides at,between which slides a head or gate 5. This gate is operated from ashaft 7 by means of a crank (3 thereon and a connectingrod 8, which ispreferably made in two parts oppositely screw-threaded and joined by asleeve-nut 9. The crank-shaft 7 is journaled in bearings on top of thehousings 2 3 and is driven by a pulley 10 or in any other suitable way.A horizontal shaft 11 is mounted above the forward portion of thebed-platein suitable bearings in standards 12, risingfrom the bed-plate.Motion is imparted to this shaft from the crank-shaft 7 through themedium of an intermediate shaft 13, which is situated at the left sideof the machine and is so inclined as to extend upward and back- 13 isjournaled near its lower end in a standard l4, rising from thebed-plate, and near its upper end in a bracket 15, rigidly attached tothe left-hand'housing 3. Upon the ends of the shaft 13 two miter-gears16 and 17 are mounted, said gears being arranged to engage .two similarmiter-gears 18 19, secured, respectively, upon the left-hand ends of theshafts 7 and 11. The construction and arrangement of these parts aresuch that the shaft 11 is revolved synchronously with the crank-shaft ordriving-shaft 7, so that the cams hereinafter described, which arecarried on the shaft 11, perform one complete revolution at eachrevolution ofthe driving-shaft 7, and consequently at each full strokeof the sliding head or punchgate 5. j

A strip or ribbon of metal 20, from which the link-blanks are cut, isfed transversely across the machine from left to right by mechanism soonto be described. The link-blanks are punched out longitudinallyin asingle row from the strip, which is preferably a little wider than thelinks to be formed. Secured to the lower end of the sliding head or gate5, near its left-hand side, are two punches 21 22. These projectvertically downward and are adapted to form the two eyes 24 in thelinkblank. They are arranged to reciprocate over a die 23, mounted belowthem on the bed-plate. A stripper 26 of ordinary construction is rigidlyattached to the upper side of the die 23 for disengaging the metal strip20 from the punches when they ascend, and a recess 27 in the stripperserves as a guide to insure the passage of the strip across the die in acorrect line. A punch 28, which for convenience will be called theblanking-punch, is secured to the lower end of the sliding head 5, nearthe right-hand side thereof. This punch is fitted to a die 29, mountedbelow it on the bed-plate. The blanking-punch and its die are of theform of a chain-link and are arranged to punch out the links from themetal strip 20. A stripper 30, similar to the stripper 26, is employedfor disengaging the ribbon 20 from the punch when it ascends. The twodies 23 and 29 are disposed in a straight line and at such a distanceapart that a length of the strip 20 a little greater than that of twolinks is at all times interposed between them, the purpose being toinsure the formation of perfect links. The upper surfaces of the dies 23and 29 are preferably on the same plane with each other, and they areconnected together by a horizontal piece of metal 31, which I call abridge and whose upper surface is level with the dies. The die 23 issupported upon a block 23, the middle forward portion of which isrecessed or hollowed out to permit the pieces of metal punched out ofthe strip 20 to fall freely. The die 29 is supported upon a block 29. Itis also provided with a large recess 29 to make room for thechain-assembling mechanism hereinafter to be described.

Before proceeding with the description of the operation of the dies Iwill first describe 627,870 I I r,

v the construction and operation of the feeding mechanism.

At the rear side of the dies 23 29 is arranged a horizontal bar 32,which I callthe feedbar. This bar is supported in two bearings 34,mounted on the bed-plate. Preferably the feed-bar is rectangular incross-section to prevent it from rolling, and it is so mounted that itmay he slid horizontally in its bearings to and fro. A feed-pawl 36 ispivoted on a stud 35, projecting forwardly from the feed-bar at a pointbetween the punches 22 and 28. The free end of the pawl extendsdownwardly and to the right, the arrangement being such that the pawl isdirectly over the middle of the strip 20, and its free end is formed toenter and engage one of the eyes 24 which have been punched in thestrip. The end of the pawl is prevented from descending too low by aforwardly-projecting pin' 36 secured to the pawl near its free end. Thispin not only limits the descent of the pawl, but also prevents the strip20 from rising and so becoming disengaged from the pawl. A spring 27,wound upon the stud 35, engages thepawl and impels it downward upon thestrip 20. Preferably the free end of the pawl extends for a shortdistance be-,

low the strip 20, entering a groove in the upper surface of the bridge31. The main or blanking die 29 is also for the same purposecorrespondingly grooved for a short distance to permit the pawl totravel a short distance over its left-hand end. It will thus be seenthat the feed-pawl is arranged between the punching and the blankingdiesand that the metal strip is fed forward by a positive and secureengagement of the pawl with the strip.

The feed-bar is actuated by the following mechanism: On the lower sideof the feedbar, near its middle portion, is formed a rack 38, whichengages a curved rack or segment 39, secured to a horizontal shaft 40,which is .journaled in bearings 41 42, mounted on the bed-plate.

The shaft 40 is disposed at right angles to the feed-bar and extendsforward from the rack 39 through an opening in the die-block 23 Apinion43 is secured onthe forward end of the shaft 40 and engages a curvedrack or segment 44, centrally pivoted on a stud 45, mounted in theforward bearing 42 vertically over the shaft 40. The upper portion ofthe circular rack 44 is provided with a forwardly-projecting stud 46,which carries a friction-roller 47, engaging a cam-groove 48, formed inthe surface of a revolving cam 49, which I call the feed-cam, and whichis rigidly secured to the cam-shaft 11. At each revolution of themachine and at proper times the circular rack 44 is oscillated to andfro and an oscillating movement is imparted to the shaft 40 and circularrack 39,'thereby reciprocating the feed-bar. The motion thus given tothe feed-bar is such that at each operation the strip 20 is fed forward,so that a .sage of the pawl 36.

pair of the previously-punched eyes 24 are in proper position under theblanking-punch with reference to the new link to be formed. As beforedescribed, the strip 20 in passing from the die 23 to the die 29 movesthrough a bridge 31. The construction of the bridge shown as embodied inthe machine is regarded as the best form to use; but when very thinmetal is employedzfor the manufacture of the chain I preferably coverthe bridge with a cap-piece recessed upon its lower side for the stripand grooved through its top for the pas- By this arrangement the edgesof the strip 20 are guided and held down, so that the strip is preventedfrom being bent. This form of bridge is fully shown in detail in Fig.17, the bridge-block a: being recessed at y for the metal strip andgrooved at z for the passage of the feed-pawl.

The highest" part of the curve is in the middle of the punch,

and the lowestportions thereof are at points within the opposite sidesof the punch, the formation corresponding in general outline to theparts of the finished link where the curve of its loop begins. Theobject and effect of this formation of the punch is that in its descentthe two fiat portions ofthe link containing the eyes are first punchedout from the strip 20, and by the progressive descent of the punch themiddle portion of the link is afterward punched out, being at the sametime curved into a loop in consequence of the concaved curved shape ofthe middle part of the punch. The punch 28 is of such. form, however, asnot to bend the ends of the link close together, as they are in thefinished chain, but to leave them so far apart that one of them may beeasilypassed through the eyes of a finished link. A link in thiscondition, which I call half-bent, may readily be fully closed into itsfinished form by a compressing force subsequently applied to the bent orloop portion thereof.

Owing to the great difference which exists between different metals andeven between different parts of the same metal strip as to temper,hardness, pliability, andelasticity it would be practically impossiblefor the punch, as above described, to produce unaided halfbent links ofa uniform shape. For instance, a link out from a hard non-elastic pieceof metal would not ordinarily be closed so far as one cut from a softerand more pliable piece, andif the punch were formed to properly shapethe hard links then the softer ones would be closed too far, so thatthey could not be joined to the last link of the finished chain. formityin this particular is secured by means of a device whichI call a finger,but which also serves to receivve the link from the punch Uniand tocarry it or transfer it into engagement with the c'hain already made.

While the use of a finger is not absolutely necessaryin the manufactureof chains wherein apunch anddie like that just described are employed,yet to obtain the best results and to insure uniformity such a finger isa'highlyimportant factor, and I therefore alwayspreferably employ it.

The finger 58 is constructed and operated as follows:" Uponthebed-plate, at a short distance in front of the main die 29, is astandard 50, to the upper portion of which is centrally pivoted aright-angled bell-crank lever 51, one arm of which'extends upward, whilethe other arm extends forward. A frictionroller 52 on the forward arm ofthe lever engages a cam-groove 53, formed in the side of a revolvingcam-wheel 54, secured on the camshaft 11. To the end of the upright armof the bell-crank lever is pivoted a lever '55, which I call thefinger-lever. The pivot is located at a point a'short distance forwardof the middle of said lever, and the lever is normallyin nearly ahorizontal position, its forward end being a little higher than its rearend. A friction-roller 56, pivoted upon'the forward end of thefinger-lever, engages a cam-groove 57, formed in the side of thecamwheel 54. The rear end of the finger-lever extends under the main die29, entering the largerecess 29 in the die-block 29 near its right-handend and reaching to a point to the rear of the link-aperture in saiddie. From this point the lever is bent at a right angle horizontally tothe left to a point corresponding with the middle of the die. Thencesaid lever is bent upward in a substantially vertical direction and thenforward and slightly upward to a point corresponding with the of ahalf-bent link and is of such thickness that it may enter the narrowmiddle portion of the die and may be elevated so that its upper surfaceis substantially level with the upper surface of said die. the upperportion of the finger-lever to rise to the required height, the lowerside of the die 29 is recessed at that part adjoining the finger-lever,and the rear side of the die-plate is thickened upon its upper surface,as shown in Fig. 10, to reinforce it, as it might otherwisebe weakenedby the recessing of its under side. When the finger is elevated to itshighest position, it is then substantially in contact with the lowerside of the metalstrip 20, which rests upon the die 29, and each link asit is punched'out is caused by the bending action of the punch 28 to bewrapped over the finger, so that the middle or looped portion of thelink embraces the finger tightly. The finger thereby serves to receivethe halfbent link from the punch, and, as will be In order to allowcrank lever 51 and cam-groove 53 be moved forward and backwardindependently of its rising-and-falling motion.

That portion of the chain which has already been formed and assembled isheld in a holder consisting of a hollow block 59, erected upon thebedplate in front of the die 29 and extending partly beneath it. Ahorizontallydisposed recess or tube 60, formed in the holder, extendsfrom front to rear thereof, and its bore corresponds in form with thechain-links which are to pass through it. The form of the'bore isillustrated in end elevation in Fig. 8, and it is such that it fits thewide flat eye portions of the link, so that its eyes shall be inposition one over the other and its grooves at its top and bottomsubstan tially fit the loop portions of the-links.

The tube is preferably formed by making the hollow block 59 in two partsand forming one half of the tube or bore in the upper part and the otherhalf in the lower part.

A horizontal lever 61,which I call the lower compressing-lever, isjournaled in the forward portion of the hollow block 59, being fixedupon a short-shaft 62, which extends horizontally through acorresponding recess in the block 59. The lowercompressing-lever extendsto the rear of the block 59, its rear end being bent upward and forwardto fit the lower side of the loop portion of a finished chain-link.Above the chain-tube 60 is a lever 63, called the uppercompressing-lever. It is journaled in the hollow block 59, being mountedupon a short shaft 64, situated vertically above and disposed parallelto the shaft 62. The lever63 extends from the hollow block to the rear,whence it is bent downward at a point vertically over the correspondingportion of the lower compressing-lever 61, said bent portion beingconformed to the shape of the loop of a finished link. The holderblock59 is recessedaway at the extreme rear end to allow the'rear ends of thecom pressinglevers to close. The jaws or rear ends of thecompressing-levers areof a thickness corresponding substantially withthe width of the loop portion of a link.

To the left-hand ends of the shafts 62 and 64 are rigidly attached twogears 65 66, which engage one another, as shown in Fig. 6, in

such manner that the compressing-levers are,

caused to move in opposite directions when they are operated.

The upper lever 63 is extended for a short distance forward of theholder-block in a horizontal direction, its forward end beingpro- Videdwith a friction-roll 67, which engages a cam-groove 68, formed in theside of the cam 69, mounted upon'the. cam-shaft 11. By the operation ofthis cam-groove the upper compressing-lever is at proper timesoscillated vertically andthe lower lever, through the medium of thegears 66 just described, is oscillated in the opposite direction foropening and closing the compression-jaws.

The chain already formed is contained in the chain-tube 60, it's lastlink projecting to the rear beyond the compressing-jaws, which latterare normally closed upon the loop portion thereof. By this arrangementthe eyes of said link project to the rearward of the compression-jaws,and the disposition of the parts is such that said eyes are directlyunder the lefthand free end of the half-bent link, which is held uponthe finger 58, formerly described. The finger being depressed in avertical line, the left-hand free end of the halfbent link 70 is causedto pass through'the eyes of the link 71, held between the com pressing-jaws, which I also call holder-jaws, inasmuch as they perform theimportant function of holding the last link of the chain in properposition to receive the new link. The finger 5S descends until its lowerside is nearly in contact with the link 71, as shown in Fig. 11, whichsuffices to engage the half-bent link 70 therewith.

In order to prevent any displacement of the link 70 in its descent, aguide 73 is attached to the rear end of the upper lever 63. Said guideconsists of a vertical groove formed in the lever, which extends upwardso far that the link 70 when its descent begins immediately enters saidgroove. The upper surface of the guide 73 is normally at such a heightthat the link 70 enters it as soon as it begins.

to descend; but the guide is not high enough to be touched by theleft-hand end of the link while said link is being punched out and bent.

The forward side of the groove is formed to.

introduced the half-bent link 70 into the link 71 it is movedhorizontally to the rear, thereby drawing itself out of engagement withthe loop of link 70, as illustrated in Fig. 12, and

in order to facilitate this operation the finger 58 may be tapered veryslightly.

The rear side of the guide 73 is recessed awayat its lower portion 7 1to permit the withdrawal of the finger; but said recess is not largeenough to allow the loop of the link 70 to retreat with the finger, andtherefore the guide serves as a stripper to assist in freeing thehalf-bent link from the finger. In

order to facilitate the entrance of the loop portion of the half-bentlink into thechaintube, the latter is slightly enlarged or chamfered atits rear end. After the finger has retreated the holder-jaws are, by theaction of the cam-groove 68, opened, and the chain is drawn forward adistance of one link by ing drawn too far forward, as the chain-tube 60is of sufficient size only from top to bottom to permit the passage of afinished link.

In order to adjust the new link to proper position for being bent, Iemploy the following devices: A standard 75 is erected upon thebed-plate at a short distance forward of the holder-block 59. To theupper portion of such standard is pivoted a lever 76, which I call theadjuster-lever. The pivot is located at a. point a short distanceforward of the middle of the lever. Thelever 76 lies normally in anearly horizontal position, its forward end being slightly higher thanits rear end, and it extends fromfront to rear at the left-hand side ofthe holder-block 59,

its rear end entering the recess 29 and being bent horizontally at rightangles to the right. Two vertical pins 77 are fixed in the end of thebent portion of the lever and extend upward for a short distance, beingaboutas far apart from one another as the width of the flat portion of alink. The upper ends of the pins 77 are preferably slightly bentoutwardly away from each other, and they forma pair of guides forregulating the position of the link 70 in the holder-jaws. The forwardend of the lever 76 is provided with a frictionroller 78, which engageswith a cam-groove 79, formed in the side of a cam 80, mounted upon theshaft 11. The construction and arrangement of these parts are such thatthe-lever 76 may by means of the cam-groove 79 be oscillated vertically.Said lever is normally so disposed that its rear end, with the pins 77is depressed, being but a short distance above the bed-plate. When thehalf-bent link 7 O has been drawn between the holder-jaws, as abovedescribed, then the rearendof the lever 76 is elevated, and the pins 77are made to embrace the sides of the link and adjust it laterally, whilethe bent portion of the lever elevates the link to a proper height, theupper free end of the link being restrained from rising too high by thelower beveled edge of the guide 73, which is conformed to the positionof the free end of the half-bent link, as shown in Fig. 13. The adjusteris maintained in its elevated position until the finger 58 is descendingwith a new half-bent link, when the adjuster-lever is. depressed to itslowest position. The adjuster therefore constitutes a support to retainlink 7 0 in its proper position until the new link is about to engageit. When the link has thus been drawn forward and adjusted, theholder-jaws are by the action of the cam-groove 68 closed, therebycompressing the link held between them to its finished form, when it isready to receive another half-bent link from the finger 58. During theclosing of the holder-jaws the adjuster-pins 77 serve as guides toprevent any lateral displacement of the ends of the link, therebyinsuring that the two eyes shall be made to coincide with each other.After having transferred the half-bent link to the lastlink of thepreviously-formed chain the finger 58 is elevated and maintains itsrearward position until it has risen to within a short distance of thedie 29, when it is moved forward toengage the die, as before explained.As a result of this arrangement the finger during its ascent isprevented from striking the link 71 and guide 73. The finger-lever 55.isprevented from being displaced laterally by two vertical parallelguide-pins 55, erected on the bed-plate, one on either side of thelever, at a short distance in front of the die 29.

The mechanism operates rapidlyin the manner above described to form newlinks and join them to the previously-formed chain. The finished chainis fed or drawn from the machine preferably by the mechanism now to bedescribed.

Upon the bed-plate, at the forward portion thereof,are arranged twostandards 81 82,and they support a horizontal shaft 83, which isarranged parallel with the shaft 11. A ratchetwheel 84: is secured tothe shaft 83 and is partially revolved at proper times by means of apawl 85, pivoted to the end of a lever 86, which extends rearwardly fromthe ratchet 84, its rear end being pivoted upon a standard 87, erectedupon the bed-plate. Near the central portion of the lever 86 is afriction-roller 88, which engages a cam-groove 89, formed in the side ofa cam 90, mounted on the shaft 11. The lever 86 is oscillated verticallyat proper times by the action of the cam-groove 89. Upon the shaft 83 issecured a toothed feed-wheel 91. The teeth of the wheel are formed tofit into and engage with the eyes of the links composing the chain, andas the wheel is revolved it draws the chain forward step by step. Thechain is supported and kept in engagement with the feed-wheel by meansof a 'block 92, erected upon the bedplate below the feed-wheel. Thisblock is provided on its upper side with a groove 93, formed with acentral deep portion to permit the passage of the loops of the links andwider shallow portions at the sides to support and guide the fiatportions thereof.

I have illustrated and described the main punch 28 as having its lowerend formed to produce a particular kind of link; but many varieties ofsheet-metal chain of the general construction above described are wellknown, and I Wish it understood that I do not confine myself to theexact shape or form of the punch shown in the drawings, the essentialfeature of my improved punch being a form which enables it to bend thelink during the act of punching it out into such shape that it may bejoined readily to another link and may be closed into finished form byexternal pressure subsequently applied.

It will now be understoodthat my improved machine is simple in itsconstruction and mode of operation and is capable of running at a highspeed without liability of accident or error and so that aperfect chainmay be produced.

The operation of the mechanism has already been fully described. Brieflystated, the operation is as follows: The strip of metal from which thelinks are to be formed is first placed between the punches 21 22 and thedie 23 and the first set of eyes are punched from the strip. Then thefeed-pawl 3b is made to engage one of the eyes. After that the machinemay be run automatically. The strip 20 is fed forward step by step, theeyes being punched by the punches 21 22 and the linkblanks being punchedout and partially bent by the punch 28. As each link is bent by thepunch 28 it is received by the finger 58 and afterward carried andthreaded into the last link of the previously-formed chain, being guidedand adjusted in the manner hereinbefore described. After being threadedthe chain-feed mechanism operates to draw the half-bent link into linewith the remaining portion of the chain, as indicated in Fig. 13. Thenthe compressing-jaws operate to close the link, and while held by thecompressingjaws this link receives a new link, carried to it by thefinger. 1

I claim as my invention- 1. A machine for making sheet metal chains,comprising suitable mechanism for feeding a strip of metal, suitabledevices for cutting eyes in the strip, and a punch for outtinga blankwith a pair of eyes fromthe strip and simultaneously bending the blank.

2. A machine for making sheet metal chains, comprising suitablemechanism for feeding a strip of metal, suitable devices for cutting twoeyes in the strip, a punch and die for cutting a blank with a pair ofeyes from the strip and simultaneously bending the blank, and means forthreading the link-blank thus formed into a link of the previously-;formed chain.

3. A machine for making sheet metal chains, comprising suitablemechanism for feeding a strip of metal, suitable devices for cutting twoeyes in the strip, means for cuting a blank with a pair of eyes from thestrip and simultaneously bending the blank, a holder forpreviously-formed chain,and means for transferring the newly-formed linkto and engaging it with a link of the previouslyformed chain.

4. A machine for making sheet metal chains, comprising suitablemechanism for feeding a strip of metal, suitable devices for cutting twoeyes in the strip, a punch and die for cutting a blank with a pair ofeyesfrom the strip, and simultaneously bending the blank, and a fingerabout which the blank is bent by the punch.

5. In a machine for forming'sheet-metal chains, the combination with asuitablyshaped die, of a punch formed on its lower end with acentrallyrecessed portion, and with upwardly and outwardly extending endportions, substantially as described.

G. The combination of a die, a punch for cutting a link-blank and forsimultaneously bending it, a holder for previously-formed chain, andmeans for uniting a newly-formed link with a link of thepreviously-formed chain.

7. In combination with the punch and die for cutting out and partiallybending a link, a holder for previously-formed chain, a finger overwhich the link is wrapped, and means for moving the finger from thepunch to the holder and to thread the new link in a link of thepreviously-formed chain.

8. The combination with the punches of a holder for thepreviously-formed chain, adevice for transferring a newly-formed,partially-bent link to a link held by the holder,

and an adjuster movable independently of the holder for adjusting theposition of the partially-bent link joined to the chain held in theholder.

9. The combination of the punches,aholder for the chain, a device fortransferring a partially-bent link from the punches to the chain, theadjusting-pins, and mechanism for moving the adjusting-pins at propertimes to adjust the position of thepart-ially-formed link after it isjoined to the chain, and before it is completely closed or formed.

10. The combination of a holder-block, a chain-tube therein having sidegrooves to accommodate the fiat wideportions of the links, and upper andlower grooves fitting the loop portions of the links, means for drawingthe chain through the tube, the upper and lower compressing-levers,means for operating them and adjusting devices foradjusting the positionof the link prior to the operation of the compressing-levers.

11. The combination of means for holding or supporting the chain, meansfor drawing the chain forward, upper and lower levers provided withholding-jaws, a guide carried by the upper lever, punching devices forcutting out links, and devices for transferring partially-bent linksfrom the punches through the guide of the upper holding-lever intoengagement with a link of the chain.

12. In a machine for making sheet-metal chain, the combination of apunch for forming eyes in the stock, a punch for cutting the link-blanksfrom the stock, a feed-pawl interposed between the two punches andengaging the eyes formed by the eye-cutting punch, means for operatingthe punches, and means for operating the feed-pawl while the punches areelevated to feed the material toward the blank-cutting punch.

13. In a machine for making sheet-metal chain, the combination withpunching devices, of a feed-pawl engaging the material from which thelinks are cut, a feed-bar to which it is pivoted, a toothed segmentengaging a rack on the feed-bar, a shaft to which the segment issecured, a pinion on the opposite end of the shaft, a pivoted toothedsegment engaging said pinion, and a cam for opcrating said segment.

14. In a machine for making sheet-metal chains, the combination withmeans for feeding the material from which the links are to scribed myname.

HENRY B. MORRIS.

Witnesses:

FRED G. STAsoHEN, I. I. SPIRO.

